Breathing New Life

Hundreds of orphans and rejected children find hope in an Israeli youth village.

by Yocheved Miriam Russo

All new beginnings are hard, but some are harder than others.

Voya, age nine, had lived one week in Israel, and he was ready to go back. Voya had been rescued from an orphanage in the Ukraine -- a place he hated, but he hated it in Israel, too. Everything -- the language and the food -- was strange and different. So one Shabbat afternoon he set out walking -- intent on walking all the way back to the Ukraine.

It's hard to start a new life when you're only nine and all alone.

Yosef began life in Ethiopia with so many strikes against him, it's hard to know where to start. When he was just five, his family began the treacherous walk to Israel through Sudan and Egypt. Along the way, two of his two brothers died -- a Sudanese soldier shot one of them in his mother's arms. Four years after arriving in Israel, his father died, and then another brother was killed in a gang fight. By the time Yosef was 14, he was in trouble himself. Depressed, angry and violent, Yosef pretty much decided that suicide was his only solution.

Five Jewish siblings from Russia -- ages 8 to 15 -- had survived by begging at the Vladivostok train depot, and when found, were hustled off to near-incarceration in a Russian orphanage. Ultimately, through a complex set of international connections and agreements, they were flown to Israel. When the children stepped off the plane, they were frightened and suspicious. What trouble would they face now?

All these children were sent to the Yemin Orde Youth Village,
nestled high in the Carmel Mountains, just south of Haifa. It is known as one of the finest residential schools for at-risk youth in the world.

"On their first Shabbat in Israel, I saw them in our synagogue. They were neatly dressed, and seemed to be marveling at the singing of the prayers. The singing helped allay their fears -- if people are singing, they can't be all that dangerous. Their healing process started right there."

Established by the British in 1953 (and named for British officer Orde Charles Wingate who helped train Haganah fighters), Yemin Orde was created as a home for children orphaned by the Holocaust. Today, 500 kids from ages five to 19 -- from 22 different countries -- live in 77 acres of white buildings, winding paths and magnificent views of the Mediterranean Sea. The campus includes a high school, art and music center, large computer center, fully-equipped carpentry shop, dining room, library and athletic facilities.

"We do everything to turn them into healthy functioning people who reach their potential."

Only about 20 percent of the kids are literal orphans. About half came from seriously dysfunctional living situations. Many -- among them Ethiopians -- are new immigrants who, when they arrived, owned nothing more than the clothes they wore. Almost 100 young children were rescued from orphanages in the FSU countries. Children from France and South America have come to escape anti-Semitism. Native Israeli kids who have been abandoned, abused or neglected by their parents.

Yemin Orde is also home to five Muslim kids. In furtherance of social justice, they were rescued from Arab prisons and brought here to grow up in a warm, healthy atmosphere.

"Most come as teenagers, so we don't have a lot of time, but we work to make the most of every minute," says Susan Weijel, Director of Outreach and Development. "We provide the best possible education. We surround our kids with caring role models, mentors and guides. We instill a love of Judaism and a deep attachment to our homeland, Israel. We do everything we can to turn them into healthy functioning people who feel good about themselves, who contribute to society, and who reach their own individual potential. And we help them understand that service to others is something that gives meaning and value to their own lives."

Secure Roots

As you might expect, most stories from Yemin Orde are tales of transformation. Every year about 125 kids "graduate" and move along to life's next step. For most, that's the Israel Army (mandatory in Israel) or the alternative, National Service, or to some form of higher education. Volumes could be filled with all the 'That's how I was, but look at me now!' stories that emanate from Yemin Orde.

His family suffered serious adjustment problems and he needed help.

Shagau Mekonen is a classic example. At age 14, he and his family fled Ethiopia for Israel. Upon arrival, he took the Hebrew name 'Yitzik'. His family suffered serious adjustment problems, and it became clear that 'Yitzik' needed help. He came to Yemin Orde and discovered his many unique gifts. He studied hard, became a rabbi, served in the IDF, and then returned to Yemin Orde to work as a counselor. Today, he and his wife (they met and married at Yemin Orde) and their four sons make their home in the village, living among the residents, on call 24/7.

'Yitzik' also reclaimed his Amharic name, and now is 'Shagau' again. "It was part of my journey," he says. "A big part of what we do here at Yemin Orde is to connect each student to his own culture, his roots, and emphasize its importance. I realized I didn't need to be 'Yitzik' to be Jewish and Israeli. My culture, my heritage, is Ethiopian. Shagau is who I am."

Why all the emphasis on individual heritage? Why not have everyone try to blend in, learn to be just like everyone else?

"When we connect to our own roots, then our sense of self comes from deep within," Mekonen says. "We're secure in who we are. Then it's easier to accept and respect the differences in others."

Mekonen's religious development is another factor that contributes to his success in dealing with kids who are acting out. "I was brought up in Ethiopia by parents who were religious in every sense of the word. What I started at Yemin Orde, was to accept the observance -- kippa, tzitzit, daily prayers. That was a decision. But the basic belief in God, the faith, that was always a part of me."

Living Examples

The idea of having counselors live in the village with the students is another hallmark of the Yemin Orde philosophy. Counselors offer onsite supervision and help, and just as important, they serve as highly visible role models.

"Having our counselors like Shagau and his family live among the students is one of the best things we do," says Dr. Chaim Peri, who since 1978 has been the Village's Director and visionary. "What's the most important thing any parent can give to his child? Parental wholeness. A living example of honest, hardworking, caring, responsible, reliable role models. This enables kids to become successful heads of households themselves.

"It's especially crucial for kids like ours, who have been abandoned, to recreate that sense of parental wholeness here, among kids who've pretty much been spit out and rejected by society.

"What do our kids see? A warm, happy two-parent family, no drugs, no crime. They get the idea that's the way it's supposed to be. Successful graduates like Shagau are living breathing examples of what can be achieved -- 'We did it. You can, too.'"

Yemin Orde boasts an amazing number of success stories -- a mayor, a chief of police, dozens of elite military officers, medical professionals, engineers, businessmen, and too many responsible parents and good citizens to count.

Katyushka Rockets

What happened to little Voya, who tried to walk back to Ukraine? Time helped. As the weeks passed, he adjusted to his new life. Because he was so young, it didn't take long for new healthy patterns to replace the old.

Yosef, the young Ethiopian boy who was alienated and depressed, underwent a prolonged period of counseling. He graduated from Yemin Orde, entered the army, and is on the path to achieving a fully "normal" life.

In the story of the five Russian brothers and sisters, there's an intriguing synchronicity. They arrived at Yemin Orde during the height of the Hezbollah War, while the Katyusha rockets were falling all around. Oddly enough, one of the little Russian girls is named 'Katyushka'.

A lovely little Katyushka fell into Yemin Orde that day. And now, with the right guidance, Katyushka is on a new, bright path, full of hope and promise.

I want to know about the concept of "sin" due to Adam and Eve eating from the Tree of Knowledge. The Christian concept of sin revolves around the fall of the man and the "original sin." Does Judaism view it the same way?

The Aish Rabbi Replies:

Adam and Eve were punished according to their actions. In other words, God laid down the conditions for Adam and Eve to live in the garden, provided they would not eat from the Tree of Knowledge. However, if they were to eat from that tree they would be punished by experiencing death. (If they had not eaten from the tree, they would have remained immortal.)

This sets down the basic principle in Judaism of Reward and Punishment. Basic to this is that every person has the choice of doing good or bad. When a person chooses "good" – as defined by God – he is able to draw close to God. In other words, every individual has a chance to "gain salvation" through his own actions.

My understanding of Christianity, however, is that the Original Sin has infected all of mankind to the point where individuals are incapable of achieving salvation through their own initiative. Man is "totally depraved" and therefore his only hope of salvation is through the cross.

This belief is contrary to the teachings of Judaism. From the Torah perspective, an individual does not need to rely on anyone else to atone for them. In Judaism, sins can be "erased" altogether by sincere repentance and a firm resolution never to repeat the mistakes.

For more on this, read "Their Hollow Inheritances" by Michael Drazin – www.drazin.com

Yahrtzeit of Moses in 1273 BCE (Jewish year 2488), on the same day of his birth 120 years earlier. (Consequently, "May you live to 120" has become a common Jewish blessing.) Moses was born in Egypt at a time when Pharaoh had decreed that all Jewish baby boys be drowned in the Nile River. His mother set him afloat in a reed basket, where he was -- most ironically -- discovered by Pharaoh's daughter and brought to Pharaoh's palace to be raised. When Moses matured, his heart turned to aid the Jewish people; he killed an Egyptian who was beating a Jew, and he fled to Midian where he married and had two sons. God spoke to Moses at the Burning Bush, instructing him to return to Egypt and persuade Pharaoh to "let My people go." Moses led the Jews through the ten plagues, the Exodus, and the splitting of the Red Sea. Seven weeks later, the Jews arrived at Mount Sinai and received the Torah, the only time in human history that an entire nation experienced Divine revelation. Over the next 40 years, Moses led the Jews through wanderings in the desert, and supervised construction of the Tabernacle. Moses died before being allowed to enter the promised Land of Israel. He is regarded as the greatest prophet of all time.

Lack of gratitude is at the root of discontent. In order to be consistently serene, we must master the attribute of being grateful to the Creator for all His gifts. As the Torah (Deuteronomy 26:11) states, "Rejoice with all the good the Almighty has given you." This does not negate our wanting more. But it does mean that we have a constant feeling of gratitude since as long as we are alive, we always have a list of things for which to be grateful.

[Just before Moses' death] God said to him, "This is the Land that I promised to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob" (Deuteronomy 34:4).

The Midrash says that Moses pleaded to live long enough to be able to enter the Promised Land. He surrendered his soul only after God instructed him to enter Heaven and inform the Patriarchs that the Israelites had come to their Land and that God had indeed fulfilled His promise to give the Land of Israel to their descendants. To fulfill God's will was dearer to Moses than his craving to enter the Land.

It is only natural to cling to life, and the thought of leaving this world is depressing. However, if a person develops the attitude that he lives only in order to fulfill God's will, then life and death are no longer polar opposites, because he lives to do the will of God, and when that will requires that he leave this world, he will be equally obedient.

The seventh day of Adar is the anniversary of Moses' death. He wanted to enter the Promised Land so that he could fulfill the commandments and thereby have a new opportunity to fulfill the Divine wish. He surrendered his soul willingly when he was told that there was a special commandment for him to perform, one that could only be achieved after leaving this earth.

We refer to Moses as Rabbeinu, our teacher. He not only taught us didactically, but by means of everything he did in his life - and by his death, as well.

Today I shall...

try to dedicate my life to fulfilling the will of God, so that even when that will contradicts my personal desires, I can accept it with serenity.

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